Doughnut machine and the like



ffy' SePL 7 1937- c.,E. CARPENTER A 2,092,302

DOUGHNUT MACHINE AND THE LIKE original Fileduan. s, 1954 s sheets-sheet 1 C. E. CARPENTER DOUGHNUT MACHINE AND THE LIKE v 5mt. 7, 1937.

original Filed Jan. 8, 1954 5 sheets-sheet 2 sept." 7, 1937.

c. E. CARPENTER DOUGHNUT MACHINE AND THE LIKE s sheets-sheet s Original Filed Jan. 8, 1934` Patented sept. 7, 1931. l

UNITED STATES PATENT ort-lcs V 2,092,302 DCUGBNUT MACHINE AND THE LIKE e Charles E. Carpenter, Crystal Lake, lll.

Application January s', 1934, serial Na'vosnzs v Renewed August 23, 1935 16Claims.

means for vturning the doughnuts during the' -cookin'g operations; novel means for supporting the doughnuts during the cooking operations;

V novelmeans for supporting the doughnut advancing and turning and delivering mechanisms;

novel means for supporting the pan in which the frying grease is carried; and in general to improve the construction and operation of such 2o machines. 1

Other objects and uses ofthe invention will appear from a detailed description of the same,

which consists in the features of construction andcombinations of partshereinafter described and claimed. j

In the drawings: .A A Figure 1 shows a plan'view of a'machine em bodying the features of tire invention; Figure 2 shows a side elevation corresponding to Figure 1;

Figure 3 shows a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, and it shows especially the driving gears j and Geneva movements;

Figure 4 shows a horizontal section below the position of Figure 3;,'5

Figure 5 shows afragmentary section on the 'line 5--5 of Figure .4, looking in the direction oi'.

, the arrows, but on tnlarged scale, and shows the I.40 driving arrangement'l for the turner;

. Figure 6 shows a; fragmentary section on the line 6 6 of Figure 1 looking in the directlonof the arrows, and it shows the ldriving arrangements for the cam block of the Geneva. movements and also the intermittent drivefor the turner and for the ejector;

, Figure 7 shows a section on the line 1 1 oi!l Figurev, looking in thedirection of the arrows;

Figure 8 shows a fragmentary section on the v linev 3-8 of Figure 4 looking in the direction of thearrows, and it shows the ejector device;

' Figure 9 shows a plan view of a modified arr rangement in whichgthere are provided a greater number of pockets or cells`in each conveyo Figure 10 shows a vertical section on v(ci. 53-n I3- I3 of Figure 9, looking in the direction of the `Referring-first to the form shown in Figures l to 8, inclusive, there is provided a grease pan 2l, which is of generally double circular form, 5 including the circular end` sections 25 and 26.'

.The circular end sections are so formed that they overlap a' certain extent where they come together, with the result that thel total length of the pan is less than it would be in case such 10 overlap were not provided. lThis pan is shown as being open in its top portion, but in some cases' fit may be provided'with a suitable cover plate.

The frying pan rests on and is supported by a horizontal bracket or frame 21. This frame is 1 5 .carried by the four corner posts 28, 29, 30, and

3|, which, at their upper ends are connected together by a top plate 32. The frame 21 may be slid up and down on these corner posts so as to accordingly raise and lower the pan 24.' The '20 frame is also provided with suitable set screws 33 by means of which it may be secured in the raised position, and preferably there are also provided lugs or the like 34 on the corner posts for limiiting the upward movement of the frame and fry- 25 ling pan to the properposition.

The cover plate 32 is provided with journals 35 and 36 over the centers of 'the two circular pan pan is in position these shafts reach relatively close to the floor of the pan as evident from Figure 2. The paddle conveyors are carried by these shafts. In the form shown in the figures these paddles are in the form of rods or fingers which 35 extend out-radially from the shafts, but mani# iestly, there may be used solid paddles in piace thereof, as will presently be evident. In the form illustrated, these paddles have the radially extending fingers 39,10, Il, and 42 for the shaft 40 31, and, M, 45, and 43, for the shaft 33; Thus there are four'paddles on each shaft, lyingninety degrees apart, and the two shafts normally stand in such positions as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 wherein the paddles of the two conveyors estab- 45 lish a pocket between them. That is to say, the conveyors travel intermittently, and during each condition of rest they occupy positions such as to bring one pocket oi' each conveyor into register with a pocketof the other conveyor, so that these 5 two pockets then overlap, leaving all the other pockets facing outwardly as shown in the figures :referred to. In some cases itv will be found .de- 1 sirable to provide central webs such as 61 be tween the central portions o! the paddles. These 55 is driven by the worm 51 on the shaft 52, which shaft is in turn driven by the motor 53 in continuous fashion. This shaft 52 also serves to drive the doughnut batch former of the dough hopper 54 by means of a chain drive 55, so that the dough batch former and the other devices are all driven by the same continuously rotating motor 53. The details of the dough batch former are not set out herein for the reason that they do not constitute a portion of the present invention, and there are many forms of these devices which may be used inthe present machines. There is shown a collar 56 (see Figure 6) on the shaft 48 which bears 'against the bearing 49 and retains the shaft at the proper elevation.

The lower end of the shaft 48 carries the circular cam plate 51 constituting a portion of a Geneva movement. This plate also has the notched section 58, and the pin 59 located in this notch, so that the rotation of the shaft 48 carries these parts around in continuous fashion. At the two sides of the cam plate are located the star wheels 80 and 6l. 'I'hese are of conventional form, being provided with the star notches or slots into which the pin 59 enters, and being provided with the outwardly facing surfaces which engage the cam plate to hold the star wheels locked in the intermediate positions. These star wheels are carried by the vertical shafts 62 and 63 which extend through the top plate 32 and are carried by the bearings 64 and 65 as shown in Figure 1. These shafts also carry the gears 68 and 61 which mesh with the gears 68 and 89 on the conveyor shafts 31 and 38 respectively. 'Ihus the rotation of the shaft 48 serves to turn the conveyors intermittently through the medium of the Geneva movements. Furthermore, it will be noted that both of the conveyors travel in the same direction or rotation, that is, counter-clockwise, and therefore their paddles travel in opposite directions at the location where they overlap in their travels.

It will be furthermore noted that the two star wheels are located in positions substantially one .hundred twenty degrees apart around the periphery of the cam plate, so that the shiftings of the two star wheels occur substantially one hundred twenty degrees apart. Thereis then a pause of substantially two hundred forty degrees after the second star wheel has been shifted before the first star wheel is again shifted. It will also be noted that the right hand shaft 31 is first shifted, and then the left hand shaft.

There is a shaft 13 journalled on the top plate 32. This shaft 18' carries at its rear end the pinion 1i. The shaft 18 also carries a cam plate or block 12 having at one position the flattened surface 13 (see Figure 6). The shaft 48 carries the mutilated gear 14 which will engage withand turn the pinion 1i one revolutioneach timethe shaft 48 makes a revolution, and the mutilation of the gear 14 is so placed that-the shaft 18 is thus turned during the interval of two hundred forty degrees whenboth of the conveyor shafts 31 and 38 are stationary with the paddles in such a position as shown in Figure 4. The shaft 18 is for operation of the'turner and ejector devices.

'I'he turner comprises the two plate arrangement shown in Figures 2 and 4. These are the plates 15 and 16 located parallel to each other with a separation suilicient to receive a doughnut between them, and these plates are joined together in their end portions so that they may be rotated in harmony on a horizontal axis extending across the machine between the two conveyors. There are the downwardly extending brackets such as 11 and 18 which are carried by the top plate 32 and the two end portions of they turner are journalled in these brackets, as clearly evident from'Figures 2 and 4. There is a sprocket 19 carried by the turner at one end, and a similar sprocket 80 is properly located on the shaft 10 above the sprocket 18. .A chain 8| connects these sprockets together. The ratio of the two sprocket sizes is such that although the shaft 10 makes a complete rotation each time, still the turner only makes a half rotation.

It is also -noted at this point, that the arms or fingers of the two paddles sweep through the turner as the conveyors are turned, and the turner plates are located at the proper elevation to receive the floating doughnut between them. In case the paddles of the conveyors should be solid, they would nevertheless sweep through the turner and between the plates thereof. It will be noted that the turner plates are of such form as to generally conform to the shape. of the pocket between the two conveyors, so that the doughnut is well received by the turner, and there is no possibility of the doughnut becoming damaged between the parts.

At the front side of the machine, and in proper relationship to the delivery pocket of the second conveyor, there are the two rods which extend downwardly into the pan, being the rods 82 and 83. These rods are extended through the bearings 84 and 85 mounted on the tcp plate 32, and a cross bar 86 is provided for joining the upper ends of the rods together. The lower ends of the rods carry the rod 81, on which there are journalled the fingers such as 88 (see Figure 8) for the ejector. A rod 89 extends between these fingers 88, and it carries the fingers 90 of the ejector. The rod 89 also carries at one end the nger 9| which is slotted with the slot 92, and a pin 93 on a stationary part is adapted to receive the slot 92 when the ejector is raised. The raising of the ejector is effected by raising the rods'82 and 83, whereupon the ejector rises until the slot 92 engages the pin 93, and then the ejector is rotated or rocked over and outwardly to turn the doughnut out of the frying pan.

The raising oi' the ejector in the above manner is effected by the following arrangement; there is a rack bar 84 formed on the rod 83 (see Figure 2), and the shaft 18 can'ies the mutilated 4 gear 88 in position to engage and raise the rack bar at the proper time. Whenvthe rack bar has been completely raised the mutilation comes around to again release therack bar and allow the ejector to fall. 1 This operation takes place at the same time as the operation of the turner. If desired, a spring 88 may be provided for restoring the ejector to the horizontal position, but it will also be notedrthat the engagement of the slot 82 with the pin 83 on the back stroke will also eifect such restoration.

It will be noted that in the operation of this machine the doughnuts are droppedinto the pockets of the right hand conveyor, which advances intermittently in counterclockwlse direction, that when the position of the turner is a,ooa,aoa

ing the doughnuts in such registered pocketsA of the right hand conveyor registers with one.

pocket of the left hand conveyor, there are seven doughnuts simultaneously cooking.` Itwill alsov be noted that there is a longer cooking .interval for the doughnuts while they are on the firstf or initial side since the turning operation takes place at the fourth pocket of the first conveyor,

` and after the turning operation has been made 'greater number of pockets or cells for each conveyor, so that a greater capacity of the machine is provided. In the present case, also the turner 96 rocks on the shaft 91, and removes the doughnut from the right hand conveyor to the left hand n conveyor. Likewise the ejector 98 operates in the last pocket of the second conveyor.

In the present case, the pockets of the conveyors are formed by the .U-shaped members 99 IDI. up so that `the frying pan may be provided withy which are carried by the central spiders and 'I'he arms of these spiders are located high the central circular walls or partitions lH12 and |03 which reduce the 4amolmt of grease which it is necessary to provide in the pan. y

While I have herein shown and described only certain'embodimentsof my invention, still I do not intend to .limit myself thereto except as I may do so in th/e claims.

I claim: l 1. In amachine of the class described, the combination of a frying p an, a pair of vertical shafts extending downwardly thereinto, paddles .on said shafts reaching out in horizontal fashion therefrom, the shafts and paddles being so proportioned that the paths of the paddles intersect between the shafts, means for intermittently advancing the shafts and paddles simultaneously to intermittently bring a pocket of each shaft into registry with a pocket of the other shaft between the shafts, means for turning the doughnuts in such registered pockets during the interval of pause of the shafts, comprising a pair of parallel plates mounted for rotation on a horizontal transversely extending axis midway between the shafts, the paddles of both shafts sweeping4 through such turner when the shafts are rotated,

and means for removing cooked doughnuts from the last pocket of the series, substantially as described.

2. In a 4machine of the "class described, the.'

combination of a frying pan, a pairv of vertical shafts -extending 'downwardly thereinto, Apaddles on said shafts reaching out in horizontal fashion therefrom, lthe shafts and paddles being so proportioned that the paths of the paddles intersect between the shafts, means for intermittently ad- Y vancing the shafts and paddles simultaneously to intermittently bring pockets of the two shafts into register between the shafts, means for turnduring the interval of pause of the shafts,. and means for removing cooked doughnuts from the last pocket ofthe series, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pair of rotating conveyors comprising paddles mounted for rotation on vertical axes extending downwardly, a frying pan intov which said conveyors are located-the arrangement being such that the paths of travel of the paddles intersect at a position between the axes of rotation of the conveyors, turner means located between the conveyors and within the location of intersection of the paths aforesaid, said turner comprising a pair of parallel plates normally standing in horizontal fashion and mounted for rotation ony a horizontally transversely extending axis, and means for removing cooked dough' nuts from the last pocket ofthe series, substantially as ldescribed.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pair of conveyors each comprising a series of radially extending paddles mounted for rotation on a vertically extending axis, the arrangement being such that the paths of travel of the paddles intersect between the axes of the two conveyors, means for intermittently advancing the conveyors to bring the pockets of the two conveyors into registry at a location between the two conveyors, means for turning the dough.- nuts within such location during an interval of pause in the conveyor rotations, and means for removing the cooked doughnuts from the last pocket of the series, substantially as described.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of two conveyors each comprising a series of radially extending paddles establishing pockets between them, a pan in which said conveyors are mounted -for rotation, the arrangement being such that the paddles of the two conveyorscross each other during their rotations, means for turning the doughnuts between the two conveyors during an interval oi' pause in the movements of the conveyors, means for intermittently advancing the conveyors, and means for removing cooked doughnuts from the last' pocket of the series, substantially as described.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of two conveyors mounted for travel rin closed paths of travel which intersect each other, a frying pan in which said conveyors travel, means for advancing the conveyors intermittently, turning means located between the conveyors at the position of intersection of their paths voi' travel, means for turning said turning means during intervals of pause in the travel of the conveyors, and means for removing cooked doughnuts from the last pocket of the series, substantially as described.

' 7. In a machine of the class described, the combination of two conveyors mounted for travel on closed paths of travel which intersect each other, a frying pan in which said conveyors travel, means for advancing the conveyors intermittently, turning means located between the conveyors at the position of intersection of their paths of travel, andmeans for removing 'cooked doughnuts from the device, substantially as described.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a pair of' dough batch advancing devicesv located in co-operative relationship with respect to each other, means for driving saidv devices 1n timed relationship, means for turning over dough batches between said devices, means for forming and delivering dough batches to said devices, means for removing cooked articles from one of said advancing devices, means for supporting all of said devices from above, a grease pan for grease wherein certain of said devices are submerged, and means for supporting said grease pan beneath said devices and for permitting downward removal of said grease pan without interference from said devices, substantially as described.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination of dough batch forming means, dough batch advancing means, dough batch turning means, and means for removing cooked articles from said devices, means for driving all of said devices in timed relationship with respect to each other, and means for supporting all of said devices from above, a grease pan for grease wherein certain of said devices are submerged, said pan being movable up and down beneath the first mentioned devices for placement and removal of said pan into and from working posiltion with respect to the first mentioned devices, andmeans for supporting the pan in working position, substantially as described.

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination of dough batch forming means, dough batch advancing means, dough batch turning means, and means for removing cooked articles from said devices, a common support for all of said devices located above the position of the advancing and the turning and the removing means aforesaid, and a frying pan for-grease movable vertically beneath all of said devices into and out of co-operative relationship with respect to the same, and means for supporting said pan in working position, substantially as dedescribed.

1l. In a machine of the class described, the combination of two advancing devices for dough batches located in close proximity to each other and travelling in paths of travel which intersect each other, dough batch turning means located between said devices and at the position of intersection of said paths of travel, dough batch forming means in position to deliver dough batches to one of said advancing means, and

means for removing cooked articles from the other of said advancing means, together with means for intermittently driving all of said devices to advance one of said advancing devices while the other advancing devices and the turning and removing means are stationary, then to actuate the turning and removing means while 12. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a suitable frying pan for grease, a. pair of movable conveyors working therein, each conveyor being provided with a series of doughnut receiving pockets, the conveyors being mounted for movement in intersecting relationship in a portion of their travel, means for intermittently driving the conveyors in such intersectl ing relationship, whereby the pockets of each conveyor register with pockets of the other conveyor at such position, together with means for turning over cooking articles at such registering position, substantially as described. v

.13. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a suitable pan for frying liquor, a pair of conveyors located in said pan and each including a series of pockets for cooking articles, the pockets of each conveyor traveling in a closed circuit of travel and the circuits of travel of the two conveyors intersecting each other at a given point in their paths of travel, means for driving the conveyors intermittently in such intersecting relationship, together with means for turning over doughnuts or the like at such position of intersection, substantially as described.

` 14. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a pan for frying liquor, a pair of conveyors mounted in said pan and .including pockets traveling in closed paths of travel, said paths of travel intersecting `each other at a given point, means for driving the conveyors intermittently in such intersecting relationship, and means for turning over doughnuts at such position of intersection of the paths of travel, substantially as described.

15. In a machine of the class described, the

combination of two conveyors mounted for travel in closed paths of travel which intersect each other, a frying pan in which said conveyors travel,

means for intermittently advancing the conveyors in such intersecting relationship, turning means located between the conveyors at the position of intersection of their paths of travel, and means for removing cooked doughnuts from the device, substantially as described.

16. In a doughnut machine, a pan for frying liquor, a pair of conveyers in said pan adjacent each other, each conveyer describing a closed circuit, each conveyer forming a plurality of pockets, means for intermittently operating said conveyers so that a pocket of one conveyer is presented to a pocket of the other conveyer during rest periods, doughnut turning means located between said conveyers, means for operating said turning means during rest periods for transferring and turning a blank from one pocket in the other conveyer, and means for ejecting said blanks'.

CHARLES E. CARPENTER. 

